Day 68 - Sunday 10th July. Poland.

Poznan, Poland, with family found

Ian and Jane.

From Germany, we (Ian, Jane and Tom) have travelled to Poznan in western Poland, from where Ian's father departed for the U.K. in 1939, at the outbreak of the 2nd World War, never to return.

For reasons that even now we do not fully understand there was not very much communication between the older generations of the families in Poland and England for most of the last 50 years.  But now we are here, and have had a wonderful reunion with 2 half nieces that we knew of, and their mothers, their partners and some children we had no knowledge of! It's been a wonderful 4 days full of introductions and sign language and marvellous shared meals.  The traditional Polish hospitality has been very generous.  We have spent many hours (and bottles of wine) going through old  photographs recovered from parents' bottom drawers and sharing family stories.  Many new friendships made. A emotional time for Ian too, as he puts into place the Polish half of his family tree that was missing.

Poznan, Old Town Square

Poznan was Ian's father's home, and where he, at the age of 15, along with the entire top class at his High School, enrolled in Polish Army for the uprising of 1918, which resulted in keeping this city within the borders of the reformed Poland, on the carve up after World War One. We now have a great picture of him with his first medal pinned on his youthful chest. As a reward the boys were allowed to smoke in class when they were sent back to school!

One morning was spent traveling to three different local cemeteries to see the tombstones of some of the family.  And Simon will be pleased to know there are at least three generation of actors in the family.  Great Grandfather and his(more acclaimed) wife are buried in the "Distinguished Persons Cemetery". And we hope to see the great great great grandfather - Jan Krolowski's statue in a park in Warsaw.

The husband and wife actors tombstone.

Poznan was badly damaged by fighting during the Russian advance during World War Two, so, rather like Berlin, there is a mixture of the old, the rebuilt to look like the old, and the new side by side. We saw the Old Town Square, some beautifully restored medieval churches and the 15th C. Town Hall, with butting headed goats appearing from the clock on the tower, making the city a tourist centre, as well as being famous for universities and international trade exhibitions.  The churches also contained treasures recently returned from Russia to where they "disappeared" after the war.  A familiar story, like the museums in Berlin.

Medieval and Baroque churches, fabulous interiors, and treasures recovered.

And so after 5 full and rich days we are packing our bags and preparing to move to Warsaw for a day before flying to Russia, the 9th country we will have visited for more than 45 minutes (and 2 for less - very tight flight transfers!).

The Krolikowskya  (but not all of us!)

We have had such a warm welcome from the new family here in Poland. Thank you all. And best wishes to those in the family who are currently facing some health challenges, we send you our best wishes.